HomeAbout Billiards DigestContact UsArchiveAll About PoolEquipmentOur AdvertisersLinks
From the Publisher
By Mike Panozzo
Mike became editor of Billiards Digest in 1980 and liked it so much that he bought the company. He has served on the Billiard Congress of America board of directors and as president of the Billiard & Bowling Institute of America.


Archives
• October 2024
• September 2024
• August 2024
• July 2024
• June 2024
• May 2024
• April 2024
• March 2024
• February 2024
• December 2023
• November 2023
• October 2023
• September 2023
• August 2023
• July 2023
• June 2023
• May 2023
• April 2023
• March 2023
• February 2023
• January 2023
• December 2022
• November 2022
• October 2022
• September 2022
• August 2022
• July 2022
• June 2022
• May 2022
• April 2022
• March 2022
• February 2022
• January 2022
• December 2021
• November 2021
• October 2021
• September 2021
• August 2021
• July 2021
• June 2021
• May 2021
• April 2021
• March 2021
• February 2021
• January 2021
• December 2020
• November 2020
• October 2020
• September 2020
• August 2020
• July 2020
• June 2020
• May 2020
• April 2020
• March 2020
• February 2020
• January 2020
• December 2019
• November 2019
• October 2019
• September 2019
• August 2019
• July 2019
• June 2019
• May 2019
• April 2019
• March 2019
• February 2019
• January 2019
• December 2018
• November 2018
• October 2018
• September 2018
• August 2018
• July 2018
• June 2018
• May 2018
• April 2018
• March 2018
• February 2018
• January 2018
• November 2017
• October 2017
• September 2017
• August 2017
• July 2017
• June 2017
• May 2017
• April 2017
• March 2017
• February 2017
• January 2017
• December 2016
• November 2016
• October 2016
• September 2016
• August 2016
• July 2016
• June 2016
• May 2016
• Apr 2016
• Mar 2016
• Feb 2016
• Jan 2016
• Dec 2015
• Nov 2015
• Oct 2015
• Sept 2015
• August 2015
• July 2015
• June 2015
• May 2015
• April 2015
• March 2015
• February 2015
• January 2015
• October 2014
• August 2014
• May 2014
• March 2014
• February 2014
• September 2013
• June 2013
• May 2013
• April 2013
• March 2013
• February 2013
• January 2013
• December 2012
• November 2012
• October 2012
• September 2012
• August 2012
• July 2012
• June 2012
• May 2012
• April 2012
• March 2012
• February 2012
• January 2012
• December 2011
• November 2011
• October 2011
• September 2011
• August 2011
• July 2011
• June 2011
• May 2011
• April 2011
• March 2011
• February 2011
• January 2011
• December 2010
• November 2010
• October 2010
• September 2010
• August 2010
• July 2010
• June 2010
• May 2010
• April 2010
• March 2010
• February 2010
• January 2010
• December 2009
• November 2009
• October 2009
• September 2009
• August 2009
• July 2009
• June 2009
• May 2009
• April 2009
• March 2009
• February 2009
• January 2009
• October 2008
• September 2008
• August 2008
• July 2008
• June 2008
• May 2008
• April 2008
• March 2008
• February 2008
• January 2008
 
January: Opening the Door to ’24
January 2024

Have you ever approached a door truly fearful of what is behind it?

(And no, I’m not talking about Door No. 1, Door No. 2 or Door No. 3 on “Let’s Make a Deal!”).

No one will deny that 2023 was a year like pool has never witnessed. It was tournament madness, with a packed slate of events for men, women and juniors that had pool players crisscrossing the globe, getting massive exposure from professionally produced coverage on networks and streams, and competing for lucrative purses.

Of course, all that activity came at a cost, both financially and philosophically.

The demand on players was fierce. Of course, no player has a gun held to his or her head to participate in any event, but the opportunity to compete against the best and play for the biggest prizes is what drives pool’s cadre of mercenaries. Conservative estimates put the cost of playing in most/all of the top men’s events (entry fees, travel, hotel, meals) at $40,000 in 2023. Naturally, some of the top players benefitted from sponsorship deals or national federation contracts that either paid them an annual stipend or footed the tab for specific events. In truth, precious few “pros” enjoy that kind of assistance, and even then, current prize money distribution dictates that anything lower than ninth place puts red ink on the trip. That’s rough.

The Matchroom World NineBall Tour launched to great reviews and commitment from the top players and featured an expanded calendar, while Predator continued to produce comparable events featuring significant prize money and a slew of sanctioned world championship tournaments.

Ah, there’s that word: Sanctioned. If pool gave out an award for Word of the Year, “sanctioned” would win in a landslide in 2023.

Success always leads to turf protection and ego. And pool’s overall success in 2023 was no exception. As has been revisited ad nauseum, Matchroom’s bold strategy of branding and owning its own world tour led to the game’s official sanctioning body, the World Pool Association (WPA), to draw a line in the sand for the world’s players. Starting in March 2024, players will have to choose between sanctioned events (events in which a player’s WPA member federation is connected) and non-sanctioned events (read: Matchroom).

As time goes on, this Matchroom-WPA battle will have a ripple effect that touches both international women’s and junior’s events. In fact, there are already inklings that the rapid development of junior pool in the U.S. may well lead to schisms and turf wars in 2024 as well, and what a shame that would be. Are we really going to make aspiring junior players pick sides here?

And so, I tread lightly when reaching for the doorknob that will gain me entrance into 2024.

Matchroom has already boasted of a further expanding global calendar, Predator has announced a handful of exciting new events and formats, and the WPA insists that monster tournaments are knocking at their door for sanctioning.

And, after a lengthy dryspell, the increase in action and exposure has lured numerous industry manufacturers back into the player contract arena, which should take a lot of the burden off top players.

On paper, 2024 looks to be another wild ride for the world’s players, one that could be the best the sport has every enjoyed — if we can just get the sport’s leaders to pull in the same direction.

Let’s hope the old saying, “When one door closes, another opens” has positive meaning for pool in ’24.

MORE VIDEO...